


Now you aren't

by hellchan_ (eotteokeos)



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Strangers to Lovers, my brain barfed this instead of sleeping im sorry, there's a lot of subtle flirting bc theyre soft boys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-06-27 23:25:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19799929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eotteokeos/pseuds/hellchan_
Summary: He sees Mark peeking through his fingers before finally letting his hands fall, face as red as his ears. “Now, I don’t want to pry but technically we are on a date that I do not know of.” Donghyuck says, laughing at the frown Mark gives him.“Yeah,” he mutters. “I’m really sorry about that.” He scratches his cheek.Donghyuck had never been more enamoured at the action.





	Now you aren't

**Author's Note:**

> This has been sitting on my drafts for a month now and I couldn't sleep so now here it is :)

“Hi, sorry. Is this seat taken?”

Donghyuck flinches in surprise, lifting his eyes off of the website he was skimming books to read on—red queen would be nice to start on to, he supposes—and raises an eyebrow at the man in front of him, red plaid shirt paired with denim jeans. His clothes were a mess and he obviously ran his way here what with him perspiring but Donghyuck is devastatingly stunned at how beautiful he was.

So instead of stuttering like an idiot, he shakes his head no and watches the relieved sigh take over his face. “Great!”

He had a fairly blonde hair, almost washed out yellow, high cheekbones and a smile that almost made donghyuck choked on air—he didn’t though, thank god—in short, he was exactly the type of guys Donghyuck so often had a crush on. And oh, he’s looking at him, hands fidgeting on the table, mouth opening and closing before he takes a breather and gains confidence. Donghyuck is fairly amused at every expression that flashed before his pretty face.

“So I know this is fairly invasive,” He starts, scrunching his nose. “but are you single?”

Donghyuck quirks an eyebrow. Well then. “Yeah." He answers, warily.

“Perfect!” Donghyuck raises an eyebrow at the too cheery remark and how adorable his cheeks turned pink. “Right now, you aren’t—Hi, taeyong hyung!” He frowns in confusion when the person in front of him looks at the back, smile a little forced and eye twitching. Donghyuck was half amused and half wondering what he’d gotten himself into again.

He’d barely appeased Renjun and Yangyang when he met up with a guy from tinder that ended up talking about his underwear collection and if Donghyuck wanted to see them. Renjun had heard the whole thing (he couldn’t let Donghyuck go to the coffee shop alone with a stranger! He was seated two tables away from him.) and have been giving him The lecture since.

“Mark!” Someone says from behind Donghyuck. He cranes his neck to look at the person--apparently mark--was referring to, eyes bulging at the sight of raven hair and streaks of blue. The man was beautiful in every angle too, face sharp and eyes doe. Contrary to his hard angles, his overall face was soft and his eyebrows were scrunched looking at him and well, mark.

“Fancy seeing you here.” Mark grins. Donghyuck glances at him. “I thought you had a date?”

“I,” he stammers out. “I did—I mean, I do. Doyoung is...” he glances at Donghyuck before bringing his attention back at mark. “Thought you wanted to join or something.”

“I already told you, hyung” Mark scrunches his nose. “I have a date. And it’s the only day you’re actually free. I’m not about to interrupt your date again.” he emphasizes. Taeyong frowns at him, “You’re not interrupting us!” He walks over at Mark’s side of the table and gives him a look. “Doyoung enjoys your company as much as I do and you’re my brother” Ah, seems like beauty runs in the blood. “I’m not about to leave you—“

“But I’m not alone right now.” Mark groans.

“But—“

Donghyuck watches in mild amusement as Mark glares at his brother, a little too cute for it to be scary. He notices Mark’s pleading eyes on him and weighs down his option. Would he really be willing to take one for the team and sacrifice his only free day to act as someone’s boyfriend because his brother worries that he’s alone?

Yes. It was too entertaining to pass up and he was weak for pretty eyes.

“Uhm,” He starts, “I can bring him back if you’re worried.” Technically, Donghyuck can't. But his brother was picking him up, anyway so it's the same thing.

Taeyong stops mid-sentence before slowly looking at him, probably forgetting that he was still there. “You are?” he ask, the same time with mark.

“He will?” Taeyong turns to Mark.

Mark looks at him and he gives him a nod. “Uh,” He stutters out, Donghyuck conceals his snort with a cough. He’d known him for not more than 15 minutes and he could tell lying was his weakness. “He will.”

It’s five minutes later that Mark groans into his hand, the tips of his ears red. “I’m so sorry.”

Donghyuck takes a sip of his drink, half because he doesn’t want it spilling on the table and out of concealed amusement. “I didn’t know I had a hot date today.” He laughs at Mark’s groan. “If I’d known I would have dressed up more.”

He sees Mark peeking through his fingers before finally letting his hands fall, face as red as his ears now. “Now, I don’t want to pry but technically we are on a date that I do not know of.” Donghyuck says, laughing at the frown mark gives him agai.

“Yeah,” he mutters. “I’m really sorry about that.” He scratches his cheek. Donghyuck has never been more enamored at the action.“My brother—he’s the one from earlier—is making it his mission to bring me to every dates he goes to. I mean, I know they don’t mind but seeing them hold back from kissing each other silly is making me want to pull my hair out.”

Donghyuck hums in understanding, “And they’re bringing you to dates because?”

Mark sighs, “Because they think I’m still sad over a mutual breakup that happened three months ago.”

“Are you?” He asks, raising a brow. 

“I’m what?”

“Sad, that is.” He props his head on one hand, curious now.

“No.” Mark shudders, “we were both dumb and lonely so we tried going out or something, turns out we really were meant to be best friends and nothing more.” Donghyuck nods. He did kind of see how frazzled his older brother was with the idea of him meeting someone.

“And so you chose the lonely looking person in the coffee shop?” Donghyuck raises an eyebrow, “Not going to lie, that was some fast reflex.” Donghyuck would have sprinted.

“No.” Mark shakes his head, “I chose the hottest person, I do have standards. I just hoped their personality was as nice as their face.” Mark gestures towards him. Donghyuck bites his lips from smiling despite knowing his face was turning red by the second. “And you are, thankfully.” Donghyuck throws his head back with a laugh when he finishes explaining.

Cute. Absolutely adorable.

He pushes himself up from his seat, Mark following his every move, before gesturing at the cashier. “What do you want to drink? It’s on me only because you called me hot and nice.” And also because he looked like he could get some drink. It's totally not because Donghyuck wanted a reason to talk to him more.

Mark’s eyes widen, shaking his head frantically. “No, no! I should be the one buying you a drink.” Donghyuck raises a brow at him before gesturing at the table where his newly ordered coffee was at and sees Mark’s face redden. “Uhm,” Donghyuck giggles again.

“Cake.” Mark mumbles. “I can buy you a cake instead, yeah?” he stands up from his seat. “please let me buy you a cake.”

How can Donghyuck refuse to eat good food when it’s free? Yangyang would probably give him an earful about accepting food from strangers but Donghyuck was pretty sure his black belt is enough in a busy coffee shop and he doubts Mark would do anything what with him tripping thrice from his tiny trek from his seat to the cashier.

Yes. Free food and good company.

Totally worth being someone's instant boyfriend.

Donghyuck scowls at the notification on his phone, brows getting deeper as he reads the sender and scoffing when he reads the contents. “even though you’re my ex…” he mumbles before rolling his eyes, shutting his phone off and shoving it in his pocket.

He busies himself by looking through the books before him, mind still wandering back to that message. Sure, he could just not show up for his birthday, it wasn’t like he really needed to go anyway and he sure as hell did not want to see his ex and his boyfriend flaunt their relationship at him.

But then again, if he didn’t go and his friends did, that would surely make him look like he was affected and he most definitely was not. And Jeno and Jaemin would attempt to match-make him with every friends they know and Yangyang and Renjun would have a fit.

He also couldn’t really tell his friends not to go because that’s just petty so instead, he’s doing what he does best and it’s to ignore the problem at hand and think about it at a better time. Like the day before the birthday for example.

For now, he’s going to find books and—

“Oh.” He startles at the voice from his side. “Donghyuck, right?”

Turning, he sees Mark whom he haven’t seen in a little over a month after the brief encounter with him at the corner coffee shop—he did end up sending him home that night, his brother in tow, asking him who mark was and if he was his boyfriend. Donghyuck had snorted and Mark had blushed at the question and elbowed Donghyuck lightly. They’ve gotten closer from boding over animations and movies because God forbid, Mark does not read books that did not have pictures in it. (“I have enough of those from university, please.”)

It’s only when Donghyuck’s on his bed that he realized he hadn’t really had the chance to ask for his number and quite frankly, he’d forgotten about that encounter until he’s seeing the same adorable smile and red ears.

“Mark.” Donghyuck raises an eyebrow, eyes straining on the books clutched tightly between Mark’s fingers. “So I managed to convert you to novels, huh?” he gestures at the books. Donghyuck supposes talking about the million cities he travelled through books had convinced Mark effectively.

Mark looks down at the books before grinning. “I guess, you did.” He chuckles.

Donghyuck gets an idea.

“Hey, so.” Donghyuck begins, scratching his cheek. So this is what Mark felt when he asked him that question. “Are you still single?” Mark eyes widen, slowly nodding.

Donghyuck hums, “Are you free next weekend?”

“I am.” Mark nods. Leaning closer as someone nudges him to move from his position. Rude. But then again they were blocking the way. With this angle, Donghyuck could see the way his lashes casts shadows on his cheeks and it’s the prettiest thing he’s seen in a month.

“Right. Well, now you aren’t.” Donghyuck grins. He takes his phone out and turns it on, showing Mark the message with a roll of the eyes. “It’s my ex’s birthday and you’re coming with me.” He grumbles, scowling at the last statement.

It’s not like they’ve broken up badly though, it’s just that whenever he sees Donghyuck alone in events, he gives him this pitiful look that makes him cringe. He’s plenty happy eating by himself and watching Netflix alone, thank you very much. “He’s been giving me the stink eye lately and it’s driving me insane. I really don’t want to shove a cake down his throat anytime soon so I was wondering if you’d come. You are, right?

“I am?” Mark tilts his head, stares at Donghyuck’s hopeful face for a few seconds before shrugging. “Guess, I am. My brother’s also free that weekend and I’m not about to watch them giggle secretly for the nth time this month.”

Donghyuck grins. “Great.” He reaches out to tug Mark out of the incoming people away. Smiling when Mark gives him a grateful smile. “Can I have your number then? Just so I know when and where to pick you up?”

“Was just about to ask for yours.” Mark grins.

“And if you’re free now, how about we look around for clothes so we look absolutely stunning?” Donghyuck tilts his head. “My treat for helping me out.”

“Okay, but you should know by now I’m not making you pay for me.” Mark cheekily grins at him.

Donghyuck sighs, relenting. “then, can I choose for you? I don’t think plaid shirts would make us stand out, you know. Not like you need to anyway, you’d stand out in anything.” Donghyuck laughs as Mark playfully glares at him, red faced and turning around to walk towards the counter with his yellow plaid shirt loosely hanging on his shoulders.

He looks at his retreating figure for a few seconds and is very much struck and amused when Mark stops a few steps in front of him, turn back and gestures to follow him.

Mark stares at his brother. Blinks. And blinks again before frowning. “Invite who again?”

Taeyong rolls his eyes, wiping the stain on the corner of Mark’s cheeks and sighing. “Invite Donghyuck for tomorrow.” So Mark did not mishear him then. “Why?” Mark asks, fully aware of the stares Guanheng, Dejun, and Lucas were giving him.

“He may or may not have slipped and told your mom that you have a boyfriend when she told us to pick you up.” Doyoung sighs, Taeyong guiltily looks at him. “Well, I couldn’t really lie to her that you were on a date.” Mark chokes on air. So that was why his mother was giving him a knowing smile for a week now, telling him how happy he looked these days and what not.

God, was he embarrassed.

“You have a boyfriend?” Guanheng asks. Mark mentally curses. Taeyong turns to Guanheng and frowns before looking at Mark, “You didn’t tell them?”

Of course, he didn’t. He didn’t have one. Sure, Donghyuck and him have been spending time together ever since the second encounter and sure, he’s seen Donghyuck more times than he saw his friend this week and it made him feel giddy and happy everytime but that was only because they both found out that their universities were close to each other and their schedules match and Mark’s friends were busy with their lives and—

“Uh,” He clears his throat. “I wanted to keep it lowkey.” He mumbles, cringing in distaste at the use of word. He’d heard Donghyuck say that one too many times, he’d been infected with the internet slangs and Mark just sounds awkward using it.

“Lowkey.” Doyoung repeats. “he’s been dropping you off since two weeks ago. You guys give cheek kisses every damn time.”

“He’s been what?” Dejun accuses, turning to lucas on his side. “Did you know about this?” Lucas looks at him wide eyed and raises his hand. “Dude, just cause we dated for three days doesn’t mean I know everything.” Mark and Lucas cringes at the same time, remembering sweaty hands and awkward kisses and cringey attempt at flirting. After the third day of suffering, they both had to sit down and lay out facts that "yeah, no. This just isn't it." and "thank fucking god."

“But i do know Donghyuck though.” Mark scowls. Snitch. "He talks about him like he puts the stars in the sky. I can't believe I had to sit through him in class talking about Donghyuck's moles. Moles."

Mark scowls. “I do not.”

“That’s it.” Guanheng finishes. “You’re bringing him tomorrow for dinner and yes, I’m aware that this isn’t my house but aunty loves me so it’s all the same.”

“Wha—“ Mark stutters out, looks at his brother for help. A useless cause when he’s too busy staring at Doyoung before transferring his attention to lucas because Dejun was also not having any of his bullshit tonight. He knew breaking a cup that morning meant something.

“Hey, don’t look at me. I don’t want to be nagged by these two.” He gestures at their friends.

[ To: Hyuck :) <3 ]

so…

[ From: Hyuck :) <3 ] 

You know, you start everything with “so”. 

Come on, out with it

[ To: Hyuck :) <3 ]

Are you still single? Haha

[ To: Hyuck :) <3 ]

Mark, I’ve been spending everyday with you.

If I wasn’t before, then now I am

Why?

Again?

[ To: Hyuck :) <3 ]

Uh, my friends all think I have a secret boyfriend

that I do not want to share and dejun and guanheng

are literally going to shave me bald if I bail on them

tomorrow and perhaps I may have agreed that you’re

coming to dinner with us because you did say you were

free and you wanted to watch a movie so uhm how about

dinner here instead? and then movie after?

[ To: Hyuck :) <3 ]

You could have just said yes, I would have

come either way hahhaha and lol shave you bald?

can’t have that, i like your new hairstyle on you

[ To: Hyuck :) <3 ]

So you’re coming? 

And thank you :)

[ To: Hyuck :) <3 ] 

Of course, I will

Always :)

“Is this seat taken?” Mark looks up from his laptop, scrunches his nose and shakes his head. “Nah, I’m waiting for my boyfriend.”

“Too bad.” Donghyuck snorts, sitting down on the chair and taking a sip of Mark’s coffee, cringing in distaste. “baby, you’re still drinking the same thing?” he pushes it back to Mark’s side of the table before moving his chair closer, one hand on Mark’s back and the other propped up to support his head. Donghyuck looked absolutely stunning today too, grey hair pushed back and glasses perched on his nose, skin tanned from the summer sun and bottom lip bitten red. Mark must have saved the universe in his past life.

Mark playfully scowls before taking a sip. “I like it.” He grins. “It’s also the coffee I had when I met you.” Donghyuck rolls his eyes despite the blush rising from his neck. “Sappy.” He mumbles before leaning in to capture mark’s lips with a chaste kiss. Pulling back and giggling. “Since you’re not single, I guess I can’t take you out on a date, huh.”

Mark laughs, holding Donghyuck’s face between his hands and tracing kisses on his moles. “Fortunately, you’re my boyfriend so you definitely can.”

**Author's Note:**

> I sure hope it wasn't disappointing!!! I wanted to add a little bit of angst but my brain doesn't work //that// well with the lack of sleep so now here it is!! complete and utter fluff!!!
> 
> Thank you for reading!!! <3
> 
> my twitter is [fullestsunx](https://twitter.com/fullestsunx)!!


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